the complete poetical works-第194节
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Pass on an Arab steed； a noble creature；
Which Michael Angelo； who is a lover
Of all things beautiful； especially
When they are Arab horses； much admired；
And could not praise enough。
IPPOLITO； to an attendant。
Hassan； to…morrow；
When I am gone； but not till I am gone；
Be careful about that；take Barbarossa
To Messer Michael Angelo； the sculptor；
Who lives there at Macello dei Corvi；
Near to the Capitol； and take besides
Some ten mule…loads of provender； and say
Your master sends them to him as a present。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
A princely gift。 Though Michael Angelo
Refuses presents from his Holiness；
Yours he will not refuse。
IPPOLITO。
You think him like
Thymoetes； who received the wooden horse
Into the walls of Troy。 That book of Virgil
Have I translated in Italian verse；
And shall； some day； when we have leisure for it；
Be pleased to read you。 When I speak of Troy
I am reminded of another town
And of a lovelier Helen； our dear Countess
Julia Gonzaga。 You remember； surely；
The adventure with the corsair Barbarossa；
And all that followed？
FRA SEBASTIANO。
A most strange adventure；
A tale as marvellous and full of wonder
As any in Boccaccio or Sacchetti；
Almost incredible！
IPPOLITO。
Were I a painter
I should not want a better theme than that：
The lovely lady fleeing through the night
In wild disorder； and the brigands' camp
With the red fire…light on their swarthy faces。
Could you not paint it for me？
FRA SEBASTIANO。
No； not I。
It is not in my line。
IPPOLITO。
Then you shall paint
The portrait of the corsair； when we bring him
A prisoner chained to Naples： for I feel
Something like admiration for a man
Who dared this strange adventure。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
I will do it。
But catch the corsair first。
IPPOLITO。
You may begin
To…morrow with the sword。 Hassan； come hither；
Bring me the Turkish scimitar that hangs
Beneath the picture yonder。 Now unsheathe it。
'T is a Damascus blade； you see the inscription
In Arabic： La Allah illa Allah；
There is no God but God。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
How beautiful
In fashion and in finish！ It is perfect。
The Arsenal of Venice can not boast
A finer sword。
IPPOLITO。
You like it？ It is yours。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
You do not mean it。
IPPOLITO。
I am not a Spaniard；
To say that it is yours and not to mean it。
I have at Itri a whole armory
Full of such weapons。 When you paint the portrait
Of Barbarossa； it will be of use。
You have not been rewarded as you should be
For painting the Gonzaga。 Throw this bauble
Into the scale； and make the balance equal。
Till then suspend it in your studio；
You artists like such trifles。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
I will keep it
In memory of the donor。 Many thanks。
IPPOLITO。
Fra Bastian； I am growing tired of Rome；
The old dead city； with the old dead people；
Priests everywhere； like shadows on a wall；
And morning； noon； and night the ceaseless sound
Of convent bells。 I must be gone from here；
Though Ovid somewhere says that Rome is worthy
To be the dwelling…place of all the Gods；
I must be gone from here。 To…morrow morning
I start for Itri； and go thence by sea
To join the Emperor； who is making war
Upon the Algerines； perhaps to sink
Some Turkish galleys； and bring back in chains
The famous corsair。 Thus would I avenge
The beautiful Gonzaga。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
An achievement
Worthy of Charlemagne； or of Orlando。
Berni and Ariosto both shall add
A canto to their poems； and describe you
As Furioso and Innamorato。
Now I must say good…night。
IPPOLITO。
You must not go；
First you shall sup with me。 My seneschal
Giovan Andrea dal Borgo a San Sepolcro；
I like to give the whole sonorous name；
It sounds so like a verse of the Aeneid；
Has brought me eels fresh from the Lake of Fondi；
And Lucrine oysters cradled in their shells：
These； with red Fondi wine； the Caecu ban
That Horace speaks of； under a hundred keys
Kept safe； until the heir of Posthumus
Shall stain the pavement with it； make a feast
Fit for Lucullus； or Fra Bastian even；
So we will go to supper； and be merry。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
Beware！ I Remember that Bolsena's eels
And Vernage wine once killed a Pope of Rome！
IPPOLITO。
'T was a French Pope； and then so long ago；
Who knows？perhaps the story is not true。
IV。
BORGO DELLE VERGINE AT NAPLES
Room in the Palace of JULIA GONZAGA。 Night。
JULIA GONZAGA； GIOVANNI VALDESSO。
JULIA。
Do not go yet。
VALDESSO。
The night is far advanced；
I fear to stay too late； and weary you
With these discussions。
JULIA。
I have much to say。
I speak to you； Valdesso； with that frankness
Which is the greatest privilege of friendship。
Speak as I hardly would to my confessor；
Such is my confidence in you。
VALDESSO。
Dear Countess
If loyalty to friendship be a claim
Upon your confidence； then I may claim it。
JULIA。
Then sit again； and listen unto things
That nearer are to me than life itself。
VALDESSO。
In all things I am happy to obey you；
And happiest then when you command me most。
JULIA。
Laying aside all useless rhetoric；
That is superfluous between us two；
I come at once unto the point and say；
You know my outward life； my rank and fortune；
Countess of Fondi； Duchess of Trajetto；
A widow rich and flattered； for whose hand
In marriage princes ask； and ask it only
To be rejected。 All the world can offer
Lies at my feet。 If I remind you of it；
It is not in the way of idle boasting；
But only to the better understanding
Of what comes after。
VALDESSO。
God hath given you also
Beauty and intellect； and the signal grace
To lead a spotless life amid temptations；
That others yield to。
JULIA。
But the inward life；
That you know not； 't is known but to myself；
And is to me a mystery and a pain。
A soul disquieted； and ill at ease；
A mind perplexed with doubts and apprehensions；
A heart dissatisfied with all around me；
And with myself； so that sometimes I weep；
Discouraged and disgusted with the world。
VALDESSO。
Whene'er we cross a river at a ford；
If we would pass in safety； we must keep
Our eyes fixed steadfast on the shore beyond；
For if we cast them on the flowing stream；
The head swims with it； so if we would cross
The running flood of things here in the world；
Our souls must not look down； but fix their sight
On the firm land beyond。
JULIA。
I comprehend you。
You think I am too worldly； that my head
Swims with the giddying whirl of life about me。
Is that your meaning？
VALDESSO。
Yes； your meditations
Are more of this world and its vanities
Than of the world to come。
JULIA。
Between the two
I am confused。
VALDESSO。
Yet have I seen you listen
Enraptured when Fra Bernardino preached
Of faith and hope and charity。
JULIA。
I listen；
But only as to music without meaning。
It moves me for the moment； and I think
How beautiful it is to be a saint；
As dear Vittoria is； but I am weak
And wayward； and I soon fall back again
To my old ways； so very easily。
There are too many week…days for one Sunday。
VALDESSO。
Then take the Sunday with you through the week；
And sweeten with it all the other days。
JULIA。
In part I do so； for to put a stop
To idle tongues； what men might say of me
If I lived all alone here in my palace；
And not from a vocation that I feel
For the monastic life； I now am living
With Sister Caterina at the convent
Of Santa Chiara； and I come here only
On certain days； for my affairs； or visits
Of ceremony； or to be with friends。
For I confess； to live among my friends
Is Paradise to me； my Purgatory
Is living among people I dislike。
And so I pass my life in these two worlds；
This palace and the convent。
VALDESSO。
It was then
The fear of man； and not the love of God；
That led you to this step。 Why will you not
Give all your heart to God？
JULIA。
If God commands it；
Wherefore hath He not made me capable
Of doing for Him what I wish to do
As easily as I could offer Him
This jewel from my hand； this gown I wear；
Or aught else that is mine？
VALDESSO。
The hindrance lies
In that original sin； by which all fell。
